Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: beekybuzzard on June 16, 2008, 04:31:11 pm

Title: What the heck did I just see?
Post by: beekybuzzard on June 16, 2008, 04:31:11 pm
I just came back from adding water to the bucket between 2 of my hives in the blackberry section and saw something that looked like a stink bug but it was bright red with 2 bold black horizontal stripes on its wings eating one of my bees. It was on the backside of the box about 3 inches below the cover. I tried to grab it but it just dropped the bee and flew off.
Title: Re: What the heck did I just see?
Post by: madscientist on June 16, 2008, 05:41:58 pm
Sounds like one of the colorful "assassin" bugs. 

I can't post links yet but a google search for "bee assassin" will turn up a picture of your killer. 


Title: Re: What the heck did I just see?
Post by: wildbeekeeper on June 16, 2008, 05:57:29 pm
did it look like this?

(http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1544/assassin20bug20ncbg2052bc8.th.jpg) (http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?image=assassin20bug20ncbg2052bc8.jpg)
Title: Re: What the heck did I just see?
Post by: eri on June 16, 2008, 06:26:32 pm
Apiomerus crassipes? There are some absolutely gorgeous photos of this on the Internet. Complex structure and markings. Well worth the google.
Title: Re: What the heck did I just see?
Post by: beekybuzzard on June 16, 2008, 08:42:19 pm
A beek from the great state of Texas found it on a site somewhere, it is trichodes apiarius, yet another bee eating beetle. Just goes to show, if you just look around you can always find something you have never seen, even us old country folk.